Skilled Wages

Plumber salary in Missouri

Median $32.11 an hour for 8,310 plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$32.11/hrMedian hourly wageMissouri, May data
$66,790/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$21.53 – $56.3410th to 90th percentilehourly range
8,310Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-09-28

Plumber pay in Missouri: the full range

Wage percentiles, MissouriMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$0$20$40$60/hrMissouri: 10th $21.53 · 25th $24.35 · median $32.11 · 75th $48.19 · 90th $56.34Missouri$32.11$21.53$56.34United States: 10th $21.22 · 25th $24.13 · median $30.67 · 75th $40.92 · 90th $52.13United States$30.67
Hourly wage percentiles for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters: Missouri vs United States, May 2025.

Missouri ranks 20th of 51 states for median plumber pay, and 14th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $35.36). 8,310 plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$21.53 – $24.35$44,780 – $50,640roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$24.35 – $48.19$50,640 – $100,240the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$48.19 – $56.34$100,240 – $117,180the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Plumber pay by metro in Missouri

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrSt. Louis: $37.02St. Louis$37.02Kansas City: $36.61Kansas City$36.61St. Joseph: $32.83St. Joseph$32.83Cape Girardeau: $31.34Cape Girardeau$31.34Joplin: $30.95Joplin$30.95Springfield: $29.52Springfield$29.52Columbia: $27.89Columbia$27.89Jefferson City: $23.83Jefferson City$23.83
Median hourly wage for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters by metro area in Missouri, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
St. Louis$22.61$37.02$58.294,06015% above
Kansas City$22.50$36.61$59.053,74014% above
St. Joseph$22.91$32.83$56.052002% above
Cape Girardeau$19.28$31.34$50.031202% below
Joplin$20.29$30.95$48.861804% below
Springfield$21.96$29.52$50.716608% below
Columbia$17.69$27.89$46.5931013% below
Jefferson City$20.60$23.83$48.6629026% below

Plumber wages in Missouri over time

Missouri, 1999-2025MissouriUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$15$20$25$30$35200020052010201520202025$32.11Missouri$30.67United States
Median hourly wage for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, Missouri vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearMissouri $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$19.66$37.99$17.419,380
2000$21.13$39.50$18.1910,240
2001$22.68$41.23$18.619,350
2002$23.37$41.82$19.318,770
2003$25.26$44.20$19.699,360
2004$25.54$43.53$19.858,910
2005$23.33$38.46$20.279,990
2006$23.92$38.20$20.569,300
2007$25.55$39.67$21.209,570
2008$26.48$39.60$21.949,090
2009$27.52$41.30$22.278,360
2010$25.74$38.00$22.437,370
2011$28.03$40.12$22.967,240
2012$29.20$40.95$23.627,230
2013$30.51$42.16$24.137,010
2014$29.74$40.44$24.367,150
2015$30.59$41.55$24.346,870
2016$29.56$39.65$24.746,350
2017$30.52$40.09$25.286,140
2018$29.97$38.42$25.926,500
2019$30.66$38.61$26.527,590
2020$29.72$36.97$27.087,550
2021$26.23$31.16$28.799,080
2022$29.04$31.95$28.898,610
2023$30.49$32.22$29.597,680
2024$29.85$30.64$30.277,900
2025$32.11$32.11$30.678,310

In today's dollars, the median plumber wage in Missouri changed by -22.7% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for plumbers in Missouri

On federally funded construction in Missouri, contractors must pay plumbers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 113 of the 115 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $82.53 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $27.96). 2 of the 115 counties still use a survey rate dated 2010 or earlier (for example Lawrence County at $32.02). The market median for the state is $32.11.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, MOAdair: $76.10 (union)Andrew: $83.67 (union)Atchison: $76.10 (union)Audrain: $74.00 (union)Barry: $83.67 (union)Barton: $83.67 (union)Bates: $83.67 (union)Benton: $83.67 (union)Bollinger: $82.53 (union)Boone: $82.53 (union)Buchanan: $83.67 (union)Butler: $74.00 (union)Caldwell: $83.67 (union)Callaway: $82.53 (union)Camden: $74.00 (union)Cape Girardeau: $82.53 (union)Carroll: $83.67 (union)Carter: $74.00 (union)Cass: $83.67 (union)Cedar: $55.07 (union)Chariton: $74.00 (union)Christian: $82.53 (union)Clark: $76.10 (union)Clay: $83.67 (union)Clinton: $83.67 (union)Cole: $82.53 (union)Cooper: $74.00 (union)Crawford: $80.73 (union)Dade: $83.67 (union)Dallas: $82.53 (union)Daviess: $76.10 (union)DeKalb: $83.67 (union)Dent: $83.67 (union)Douglas: $83.67 (union)Dunklin: $74.00 (union)Franklin: $82.53 (union)Gasconade: $83.67 (union)Gentry: $76.10 (union)Greene: $82.53 (union)Grundy: $76.10 (union)Harrison: $76.10 (union)Henry: $83.67 (union)Hickory: $83.67 (union)Holt: $76.10 (union)Howard: $82.53 (union)Howell: $74.00 (union)Iron: $74.00 (union)Jackson: $83.67 (union)Jasper: $82.53 (union)Jefferson: $82.53 (union)Johnson: $83.67 (union)Knox: $76.10 (union)Laclede: $83.67 (union)Lafayette: $83.67 (union)Lawrence: $32.02 (survey)Lewis: $76.10 (union)Lincoln: $82.53 (union)Linn: $76.10 (union)Livingston: $76.10 (union)McDonald: $82.53 (union)Macon: $76.10 (union)Madison: $74.00 (union)Maries: $83.67 (union)Marion: $76.10 (union)Mercer: $76.10 (union)Miller: $83.67 (union)Mississippi: $74.00 (union)Moniteau: $82.53 (union)Monroe: $76.10 (union)Montgomery: $83.67 (union)Morgan: $83.67 (union)New Madrid: $74.00 (union)Newton: $82.53 (union)Nodaway: $76.10 (union)Oregon: $74.00 (union)Osage: $82.53 (union)Ozark: $83.67 (union)Pemiscot: $74.00 (union)Perry: $74.00 (union)Pettis: $83.67 (union)Phelps: $74.00 (union)Pike: $76.10 (union)Platte: $83.67 (union)Polk: $82.53 (union)Pulaski: $74.00 (union)Putnam: $76.10 (union)Ralls: $74.00 (union)Randolph: $76.10 (union)Ray: $83.67 (union)Reynolds: $74.00 (union)Ripley: $74.00 (union)St. Charles: $82.53 (union)St. Clair: $83.67 (union)Ste. Genevieve: $74.00 (union)St. Francois: $74.00 (union)St. Louis: $82.53 (union)Saline: $76.10 (union)Schuyler: $76.10 (union)Scotland: $76.10 (union)Scott: $23.90 (survey)Shannon: $74.00 (union)Shelby: $76.10 (union)Stoddard: $74.00 (union)Stone: $83.67 (union)Sullivan: $76.10 (union)Taney: $83.67 (union)Texas: $74.00 (union)Vernon: $83.67 (union)Warren: $82.53 (union)Washington: $82.53 (union)Wayne: $74.00 (union)Webster: $82.53 (union)Worth: $76.10 (union)Wright: $55.07 (union)St. Louis: $84.83 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$74.00$76.10$82.53$83.67survey rate
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for plumbers by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
Market median vs prevailing wage by countyMarket medianPrevailing (union)$0$20$40$60$80$100/hrCallaway (Jefferson City): market median $23.83, prevailing (union) $82.53, gap +$58.70Callaway (Jefferson City)+$58.70Boone (Columbia): market median $27.89, prevailing (union) $82.53, gap +$54.64Boone (Columbia)+$54.64Christian (Springfield): market median $29.52, prevailing (union) $82.53, gap +$53.01Christian (Springfield)+$53.01Jasper (Joplin): market median $30.95, prevailing (union) $82.53, gap +$51.58Jasper (Joplin)+$51.58Bollinger (Cape Girardeau): market median $31.34, prevailing (union) $82.53, gap +$51.19Bollinger (Cape Girardeau)+$51.19Andrew (St. Joseph): market median $32.83, prevailing (union) $83.67, gap +$50.84Andrew (St. Joseph)+$50.84St. Louis (St. Louis): market median $37.02, prevailing (union) $84.83, gap +$47.81St. Louis (St. Louis)+$47.81Bates (Kansas City): market median $36.61, prevailing (union) $83.67, gap +$47.06Bates (Kansas City)+$47.06
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for plumbers, metro counties in Missouri.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
St. LouisUnion PLUM0562-019 2026-07-01$54.60$30.23$84.83MO20260080
AndrewUnion PLUM0008-021 2025-06-01$58.38$25.29$83.67MO20260081
BarryUnion PLUM0008-010 2025-06-01$58.38$25.29$83.67MO20260029
BartonUnion PLUM0008-010 2025-06-01$58.38$25.29$83.67MO20260029
BatesUnion PLUM0008-021 2025-06-01$58.38$25.29$83.67MO20260082
BentonUnion PLUM0008-010 2025-06-01$58.38$25.29$83.67MO20260029
BuchananUnion PLUM0008-021 2025-06-01$58.38$25.29$83.67MO20260081
CaldwellUnion PLUM0008-021 2025-06-01$58.38$25.29$83.67MO20260082
CarrollUnion PLUM0008-011 2025-06-01$58.38$25.29$83.67MO20260007
CassUnion PLUM0008-021 2025-06-01$58.38$25.29$83.67MO20260072
ClayUnion PLUM0008-021 2025-06-01$58.38$25.29$83.67MO20260082
ClintonUnion PLUM0008-021 2025-06-01$58.38$25.29$83.67MO20260073
DadeUnion PLUM0008-012 2025-06-01$58.38$25.29$83.67MO20260032
DeKalbUnion PLUM0008-021 2025-06-01$58.38$25.29$83.67MO20260081
DentUnion PLUM0008-013 2025-06-01$58.38$25.29$83.67MO20260033

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Missouri prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Missouri?

165.4kConstruction jobsMissouri, 2026-08
+6.7%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202650k100k150k200k19901995200020052010201520202025165kAug 2026
Construction employment in Missouri (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Contractor pay by county

Average pay at plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors establishments by county (all employees, not just plumbers), from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.

CountyEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
St. Louis County5,620$100,096$1,925
St. Louis City1,365$99,493$1,913
Jackson County3,417$97,528$1,876
Buchanan County605$92,647$1,782
St. Francois County447$87,477$1,682
Ray County52$84,153$1,618
Clay County917$82,348$1,584
Jefferson County716$81,939$1,576
St. Charles County1,144$80,080$1,540
Warren County123$76,928$1,479
Cole County665$75,472$1,451
Audrain County56$73,063$1,405

Keep comparing

Plumber pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Missouri

Questions this page answers

How much do plumbers make in Missouri?

The median plumber in Missouri earned $32.11 an hour ($66,790 a year) in May 2025, 5% above the national median of $30.67. The middle half earn $24.35–$48.19; the top 10% earn more than $56.34.

Where does Missouri rank for plumber pay?

Missouri ranks 20th of 51 states for plumber pay, with a median of $32.11 an hour, and 14th after adjusting for Missouri's cost of living (BEA price parity 90.8, US = 100).

What is the union plumber rate in Missouri?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for plumbers in 113 counties, with a typical package of $82.53 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many plumbers work in Missouri?

BLS counted 8,310 plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters in Missouri in May 2025, 2.8 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.95; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Missouri and metro areas, SOC 47-2152.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-08.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Not the official determination.